(From Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary)JB Varndell, 82, of Joplin, passed away on April 12, 2023. His final days were spent surrounded by the women to whom he had devoted his life.
He was born on January 7, 1941, to Jay and Margaret Varndell in Anderson, Missouri. He was raised in Pineville, Missouri and attended Pineville schools from 1st grade until he graduated from Pineville High School in 1958. Stories of his childhood lead one to believe that he might have been a little unruly and possibly a bit spoiled by his big sister, Mary Margaret.
JB met Mary Rowan Mouck, the girl who would someday be his wife, when they started 1st grade together. They began dating in high school and were married on May 24, 1961 in Pineville.
After high school, JB enlisted in the Air Force where he served with the Air Police. Upon leaving the service, he was a police officer with the Kansas City Police Department. His most memorable day as a police officer was December 23, 1965.
That morning, he and the station sergeant were wrapping gifts for a needy family when a woman rushed into the station and asked the way to the hospital because her daughter was about to have a baby. Officer Varndell went out to the car and discovered that there would be no time to get to the hospital and he delivered that baby boy in the back seat of the car. When he left the station that day, he drove to Menorah Medical Center to pick up his own wife and their 5-day-old daughter, Kathy.
In 1971, the family moved back to Pineville, built a home and he took over his father-in-law’s poultry business for several years. He eventually took a position working for McDonald County Schools in the maintenance department. He traveled between all the county schools, answering the call to fix what was broken or build what was needed. For the rest of his life, if something needed fixing, he was the one to call.
He was a member of 1st Baptist Church in Pineville where he sang in the choir, used his gift for building and fixing things, raised his three daughters and served as a deacon.
After retirement, he moved to Joplin. He was a member of Forest Park Baptist Church and volunteered with Mission Joplin. He enjoyed spending time at Cedar Cove on Grand Lake and the family especially enjoyed their annual Fourth of July weekends together there. Hours were spent on his boat pulling grandkids on tubes around the lake.
His favorite pastime was crappie fishing and he was known as The Crappie King of Cedar Cove. It is commonly understood that if JB isn’t catching, no one is catching. The fish can rest easier this spring.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jay and Margaret Varndell.
In 1971, the family moved back to Pineville, built a home and he took over his father-in-law’s poultry business for several years. He eventually took a position working for McDonald County Schools in the maintenance department. He traveled between all the county schools, answering the call to fix what was broken or build what was needed. For the rest of his life, if something needed fixing, he was the one to call.
He was a member of 1st Baptist Church in Pineville where he sang in the choir, used his gift for building and fixing things, raised his three daughters and served as a deacon.
After retirement, he moved to Joplin. He was a member of Forest Park Baptist Church and volunteered with Mission Joplin. He enjoyed spending time at Cedar Cove on Grand Lake and the family especially enjoyed their annual Fourth of July weekends together there. Hours were spent on his boat pulling grandkids on tubes around the lake.
His favorite pastime was crappie fishing and he was known as The Crappie King of Cedar Cove. It is commonly understood that if JB isn’t catching, no one is catching. The fish can rest easier this spring.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jay and Margaret Varndell.
He is going to be greatly missed by the family he leaves behind— his wife of almost 62 years, Mary Varndell, of Joplin; sister, Mary Margaret Stipp, of Joplin; daughters Kathy Palen, of Ozark, MO; Julie Ollenburger, and husband, Brian, of Joplin; Rebecca Jester, and husband, Jeremy, of Franklin, TN; grandchildren Paige Puryear, of Oklahoma City, OK; Marcus Puryear, and wife, Mykelnn, of Springfield, MO; Noah Jester, of Franklin, TN; Neil Ollenburger, of Joplin; Logan Ollenburger, of Joplin; Mimi Jester, of Franklin, TN; and Seth Palen, of Ozark, MO. His first great-grandson, Bennett Puryear, is due to arrive in May.
We are thankful that God blessed our family by giving us 82 years with him. We couldn’t have asked for a more steady and faithful husband, brother, father and PaPa.
Graveside services are 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 15, 2023, at Pineville Cemetery in Pineville, Missouri, with Pastor Brock Cummins officiating. The family will receive friends on Friday evening from 5-7:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary. Memorials are being directed to Mission Joplin c/o the mortuary. Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of the Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary in Joplin, Missouri.
We are thankful that God blessed our family by giving us 82 years with him. We couldn’t have asked for a more steady and faithful husband, brother, father and PaPa.
Graveside services are 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 15, 2023, at Pineville Cemetery in Pineville, Missouri, with Pastor Brock Cummins officiating. The family will receive friends on Friday evening from 5-7:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary. Memorials are being directed to Mission Joplin c/o the mortuary. Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of the Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary in Joplin, Missouri.
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